


Imagine You and Me

by allofspace



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Multiverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-16
Updated: 2016-10-16
Packaged: 2018-08-22 19:48:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8298223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allofspace/pseuds/allofspace
Summary: Derek goes away on a trip for work... so why is he still in Beacon Hills!? And why does he look like he's been away for a week?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Reddwarfer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reddwarfer/gifts).



> i really loved the idea of this prompt. i hope i did it justice!

“Be safe,” Stiles said as he leaned forward slightly. Rocking to his tiptoes, he placed a kiss on Derek’s lips. He curled a hand into Derek’s short hair and Derek snaked an arm around his waist to pull him a bit closer. 

“I will. It’ll be fine,” Derek reassured Stiles as they came apart. 

Stiles hated airplanes. The mix of claustrophobia and general anxiety didn’t make for a good travel option. Derek had to go to some conference in New York, and he’d asked Stiles to go with him, knowing full-well Stiles would rather do anything than go in some tin can of death, but he tried anyway. 

“It’ll be fine,” Derek repeated as he laughed at Stiles’ nervous expression. “I’m going to be late.”

“Okay fine,” Stiles conceded. He let go of Derek, but not without pressing his hand to Derek’s smooth cheek. Derek took Stiles’ hand and kissed his palm, then pushed up his square-framed glasses. He had his laptop bag strapped across his chest and he grabbed suitcase and made for the door. 

Before the door shut, he turned back to Stiles. “I love you,” he said seriously. 

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I love you too. Come back to me in once piece.”

With that, Derek left and Stiles started cleaning the kitchen. Cleaning calmed his nerves, and he had a lot right now. He looked out the window a few hours later and saw dark clouds rolling in the sky. Stiles swallowed a lump in his throat. 

“It’ll be fine,” he said to himself, thinking of Derek’s words. He didn’t believe them though, so he just said them again and again. 

After another hour, Stiles didn’t know what to do with himself. So he called Scott, because that’s of course the obvious solution. Scott didn’t even bother with a hello when he picked up. 

“I’m surprised you made it two hours,” he said, laughing. 

“Hey – what?” Stiles asked, wondering if Scott became telepathic recently and didn’t tell him.

“Derek texted me when he left saying you would probably be calling,” Scott explained. 

“I’m – Come on, I’m not that predictable am I?” Stiles asked. He couldn’t even make the effort to seem affronted. He was usually full of snark, but when he was this anxious, he couldn’t really manage it. 

“I’m coming over,” Scott said. Stiles considered fighting back and perhaps arguing that he is an adult capable of dealing with being left alone, but then again he really didn’t want to be alone. 

“Yeah, fine. But bring pizza,” Stiles replied. Scott laughed, but he knew Scott do it because he hated to see Stiles sad. 

A few hours, one empty pizza box, and a few beer cans later, Stiles heard lightning. Stiles wasn’t afraid of thunderstorms or anything, but his stomach squirmed and twisted into knots. 

Scott looked at him concerned as if he could instantly tell what Stiles was thinking. 

“I’m fine,” Stiles said too quickly and too defensively. “Just because there’s a storm here doesn’t mean there’s one where Derek is right now.” Stiles tried to make it sound convincing but trying to fool himself wasn’t working. He knew what he was saying was true but logic didn’t calm the anxiousness spreading through his body. 

Scott pulled out his phone. “It’s not even storming in New York,” he tried. “Stiles, everything will be fine.” Scott did the only other thing he could think of, which was hand Stiles another beer and turn up the volume on whatever shitty action movie they were watching. Stiles smiled at him half-heartedly. Scott could be a pretty decent friend sometimes. 

A few hours later he got a text from Derek. He’d landed safe and sound. The knots Stiles hadn’t realized were still coiled in his stomach finally unraveled. He breathed out a deep sigh and woke Scott up. 

“You should get home,” Stiles smiled. “Allison will start to get jealous.”

~*~ 

The next day, Stiles woke up to a text from Derek. “Will be in conference hall all day,” it read. “No signal. I love you.” Feeling better about things, and a bit silly for worrying so much, Stiles decided to go grocery shopping. 

He was loading the bags into his car when he saw something odd. There was a forest on one side of the parking lot and he saw someone stumble out of the trees into the parking lot. From this far away, Stiles could only see that it was a guy and that he was wearing all black. Stiles shut his jeep’s door and locked it, before walking over to the forest. In the back of his mind, he felt something was very off. But even if this was just some weirdo on a bender, he just wouldn’t feel right about leaving someone if there was a chance they were hurt or lost or something. 

Stiles slowed as he approached. The guy was tall and wearing black jeans and a leather jacket. His face was scruffy, but that didn’t stop Stiles from noticing whose face was underneath all that facial hair. 

That was definitely Derek. 

What the fuck? What the actual fuck? Stiles had about 100 emotions in 10 seconds and he just stood there staring. Derek’s hand was on his head, like he had a bad hangover or something. He stopped stumbling around when he saw Stiles. 

Derek’s face did a weird snarl thing that Stiles had never seen before. 

“Stiles. What are you doing here?” Derek growled. Growled? What the fuck. 

Stiles huffed a laugh. “Me? What am I? What are YOU doing here? You’re supposed to be in New York! I can’t believe this,” Stiles said as he started to pace. 

Did Derek have some sort of secret life Stiles didn’t know about? Some other boyfriend in some other city and Derek’s business trips were just covers? Stiles felt like he was going crazy.

“Wow I’m an idiot! You’ve been lying to me this whole time haven’t you? Do you have a house with your other boyfriend too? That’s what’s happening isn’t it? God, how did you even grow that much facial hair in one day!?”

Derek stared at him blankly, but his eyebrows started creasing together. “Boyfriend? Stiles… what are you talking about? Something weird happened last night. I was in the woods last night and the storm… I think it –“

“In the woods last night,” Stiles repeated stone-faced. “Like there’s not a backstory there you should be explaining.” Stiles threw his hands in the air, defeated. “Do you have a concussion Derek? Should I be taking you to the hospital?”

“Shut up, Stiles,” Derek growled again. There was something very weird going on. Stiles was starting to think Derek wasn’t living a double life after all. This really didn’t feel like the same Derek that left him yesterday. A million scenarios started going through Stiles’ head. 

“Derek, what year is it?”

Derek rolled his eyes but apparently was confused enough to play along. “2020.”

“Okay, cool. What city are you in?”

“Beacon Hills,” Derek answered but was visibly gauging Stiles’s reaction. 

“Correct. Hmm,” Stiles said as he thoughtfully tapped a finger to his chin. 

Derek was growing visibly agitated. “Stiles I don’t have time for this. Last night was a full moon and there was this storm, and I think something weird happened.”

“Full moon? What does that matter? Jesus, are you a werewolf or something?” And Stiles was laughing now but Derek’s face grew dark. 

“That… explains why I feel so weird,” Derek muttered to himself. “I can’t transform.”

“Derek… What…?” Stiles asked. He couldn’t really form his thoughts into a proper question though. “Give me your cell phone,” he then demanded. 

Derek looked confused but gave it to Stiles anyway. It was a flip phone. Who had flip phones anymore? Derek… his Derek anyway, had an iPhone. He flipped open the phone and scrolled through the contacts until he got to his own name. When he clicked OK to dial, there was a weird tone that Stiles had only ever heard as an indication of no service.

“I think we should go back to our – my place. We need to talk,” Stiles suggested.

Derek rolled his eyes. “Stiles, I swear, if this is one of your stupid pranks with Scott…” 

“Oh man I should call Scott,” Stiles said.

“No way,” Derek growled, and that was really getting to Stiles in a way it probably shouldn’t be. 

They walked back to Stiles’ jeep and Stiles hurried to get back to his house. 

“So do you want to fill me in? I’m sure you have some crazy theory by now,” Derek sighed. 

“Parallel universe,” Stiles said without offering any further explanation. 

Derek just groaned. “It’s always something with you.”

“Excuse me? This is not my fault!” Stiles said defensively. 

“Maybe, maybe not,” Derek replied. “You always seem to be the one getting into trouble.”

Stiles was a bit speechless at this. He thought he’d done pretty well with his life thus far. 

“Maybe YOUR Stiles gets into a lot of trouble,” he finally replied.

“This is already making my brain hurt,” Derek said, rubbing his temples. “You think I somehow travelled to a parallel universe because of the weird storm?”

“Like a Freaky Friday situation! Or What Women Want! That one had lightning,” Stiles said. 

“You still seem like my – I mean… the Stiles I knew,” Derek replied.

“Well you’re definitely not my Derek.”

“Your Derek?” Derek asked hesitantly. Like he could guess but didn’t really want to know what that meant. 

Stiles held up his hand for Derek to see. “Engaged, thank you very much.”

“To me!?” Derek asked horrified. 

“Hey, ouch. Yes to you, well I mean not you. My Derek. Who is much different than you. Nicer and I don’t know like, softer or something,” Stiles said thoughtfully. 

It was weird that there seemed to be so many differences between the Dereks but really they looked identical. Sure this one was scruffier and apparently didn’t need glasses, but Stiles couldn’t believe they could really be all that different. 

“So what was all that about the full moon?” Stiles asked as they pulled up to the house.

Derek however didn’t reply. He was staring at the house with a clenched jaw.

“Is… is my family alive in this universe?”

Stiles’ heart sank to the pit of his stomach. 

“No. Derek, I’m sorry,” Stiles said softly. He wanted to reach out and touch the Derek sitting beside him, but he didn’t know how this one would respond. 

Derek just nodded. Like he shouldn’t have been stupid enough to hope for such a thing. 

“There was a fire. But you and your uncle rebuilt it together. Well, before Peter passed away a couple years ago,” Stiles added. 

Derek seemed tense taking this all in, but he softened the longer he stared at the house. “It looks just like it used to,” he said quietly. 

“Yeah, that was the point. Although we updated the inside quite a bit,” Stiles said. “Come on, I’ll show you. Help me with the bags?” 

Derek got out and helped Stiles with the groceries. “Damn my ice cream is so gonna be melted.” Stiles frowned.

Derek looked… awkward in the house, to say the least. He looked like he didn’t want to touch anything or even step too hard on the floor for fear that the whole thing would shatter. It pained Stiles to see him like this. 

“Sit,” Stiles demanded, pointing Derek to the big leather couch in the living room. He turned on the TV, put on some old Doctor Who episodes and went into the kitchen. 

Stiles made spaghetti for them as it was fairly quick and easy and least likely to result in him killing anyone. When he went back into the living room with two bowls full of pasta, Derek looked slightly more comfortable. 

“I think I like this show,” he said. 

“It’s your favourite. Well, my you… God this is confusing.” 

He put the food on the coffee table and then sat down beside Derek. “So seriously, are you going to tell me about this full moon thing or what?”

Derek sighed. He was clearly tired of talking about whatever this was, but Stiles didn’t care, he wanted to know!

“Well, back in my universe, werewolves exist. I guess they don’t here because I can’t change into my wolf form, which I usually can do whenever I want.”

Stiles stared blankly at Derek with spaghetti hanging out of his mouth. Derek rolled his eyes and moved on. 

“Scott got bit and became one too, and so all of you and your little friends got dragged into everything as well. Lydia is a banshee, Jackson was a kanima for a bit, you… well you’ve gone through some things too,” Derek said. He fidgeted with his food but hadn’t even taken a bite yet. 

“Huh…. Cool,” Stiles said. 

“Cool? That’s it?” Derek asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Sure, I mean, parallel universes and werewolves. I’m not sure which one I’m more freaked out about.” Stiles kept his voice calm; he really didn’t feel as shaken as he might’ve thought he would be. 

With that, Derek finally sat back into the couch and ate his pasta. They kept watching Doctor Who in relative silence until Stiles’ phone began to ring. 

“Shit,” Stiles said. 

Derek raised an eyebrow asking a question without any words.

“It’s Derek. My Derek. How the fuck am I going to explain this? I can’t I mean… not over the phone at least. He’ll think I’ve gone crazy!” Stiles exclaimed as he held the phone in his hand like it might attack him. It kept ringing.

He took a deep breath and finally answered. “Hey babe!”

“Hey! Thought I was going to miss you,” Derek said. 

“Sorry! The TV was on and I couldn’t find my phone,” Stiles laughed awkwardly. He really hated lying to Derek. But he REALLY couldn’t figure out how to explain that a Derek from an alternate universe was sitting on the couch beside him.

Derek only sighed on the other end. “I missed your stupid voice.”

Derek’s calm tone relaxed Stiles. He led the conversation away from himself and asked about Derek’s day and the conferences he had. When he hung up a little while later he had almost completely forgotten about the foreign Derek sitting in his living room. The Derek that was staring at him as he turned around, and then looked away trying to hide whatever emotion was playing on his face. 

It made Stiles feel a little uneasy. 

“This must be weird, huh?”

Derek looked back at Stiles, almost confused by the question. Because, yes of course this was weird if he had really travelled into a parallel universe. 

“I mean, um, hearing me talk to you, a different you or whatever… like that,” Stiles finished awkwardly. 

Derek made a screwed up face.

“It’s fine. It’s… whatever. Doesn’t really mean anything, right? I mean werewolves don’t even exist here so clearly a lot is different,” Derek said. It was a bit defensive if you asked Stiles, but he didn’t comment on that just now. 

“Okay…” he replied. His eyebrows creeping up his forehead. They talked about a couple of other differences too. Yes, Scott and Allison were a thing and alive and well in Stiles’ world, yes Jackson still leaved in Beacon Hills, no he and Lydia weren’t together (after years of an on and off relationship). 

“So, uh, are you parents…?” Derek didn’t really finish the question but he didn’t need to. 

“Wow, I can’t believe I didn’t ask you about that. Um, my mom’s dead, but my dad married Melissa McCall a few years ago. What about in your universe?” Stiles asked, not getting hopeful strictly because the look on Derek’s face. 

“Yeah. No, sort of the same. I mean your dad and Melissa aren’t together but I could see that happening. If things ever calmed down,” Derek nodded. 

Stiles tightened his mouth, not really knowing what to say to that. Which was a rarity, really. 

“So,” he said turning the topic away from dead parents and what not. “How the fuck are we gonna get you back to an alternate universe?”

Derek burst out with a quick bark of laughter. It quickly dissolved and there was not even a trace of a smile on his face in mere seconds. Stiles decided he probably didn’t laugh a lot in his universe. “That’s a pretty good question, considering I don’t even know how I got here.” 

The both sighed and slouched into the couch. “Well, I’m sure Doctor Who could be considered research or something then,” Stiles said. 

Derek looked at him with the faintest hint of a smile. It gave Stiles a small twinge in his heart. It fucking hurt seeing Derek in so much pain. He’d already helped Derek through so much pain, and this was like looking at a Derek who never had any help or support. No one that loved him to help him through. He couldn’t help but wonder about the alternate Stiles. Everyone in Derek’s world still seemed to be drawn to the same people in Stiles’ world. He wondered if the Stiles there realized he’s in love with Derek yet, and what their relationship is like.

They spent the rest of the evening watching Doctor Who and Stiles woke up to the screen on Netflix that asks if you want to continue and Derek was passed out beside him. Stiles got up and put a blanket over Derek, then he got ready for bed. He felt bad leaving Derek on the couch, but what else was he supposed to do? He took a long time to fall asleep, tossing and turning, but eventually he drifted off. 

Stiles woke up to the smell of coffee wafting up the stairs. There was some banging and Derek’s muffled voice, probably cursing, which prompted Stiles to get out of bed. He went down the stairs in his flannel pyjama pants and one of Derek’s old t-shirts, and saw Derek in the kitchen. His eyes went wide as he was hit with several thoughts at once. First he remembered that the day before actually happened and was not a crazy dream. The Derek in front of him was scruffy and had dark bags under his eyes and was not his Derek. Next, he took in the scene of brown liquid all over the counter and spilling onto the floor, which would have been why he could smell the coffee so strongly upstairs. And then there was Derek himself looking tired and grumpy and holding a roll of paper towel under his arm, a pile of sheets in his one hand and a full carafe in the other. A dish towel had also been thrown on the floor, presumably so that Derek could step on it and try to mop the floor with it. He was staring at Stiles, wide-eyed and panicked.

“I… I tried to make you coffee,” Derek said. 

“That’s… I… thanks,” Stiles said. His brain wasn’t running fast enough to be coherent yet. 

Stiles started laughing, a delayed reaction, but it was something. Derek’s cheeks began to turn red. Stiles finally went over and took the full carafe to put it on a separate, dry counter. Then he grabbed some more towels and paper towel and Derek followed his lead. 

“I’ve never made coffee before,” Derek said, breaking the silence that had settled over them as they cleaned. 

“Oh,” Stiles said. It should have been funny, would have been maybe if it were anyone else. But this was Derek; the same tragic history but with less help, less friends, and more angst. Stiles couldn’t help but think it was a little sad that Derek had never even made coffee where he was from. 

When they finished cleaning, Stiles pulled out two mugs and filled them with coffee. It was still warm but Stiles took one sip and had to spit it out. He made a new batch and cooked eggs and toast for them. 

“So, what do you want to do today?” Stiles asked, swallowing ketchup-covered eggs. 

Derek only raised an eyebrow like that was a ridiculous question. 

“What? I mean, ‘go home’ isn’t exactly an option right now. We don’t even know how you got here,” Stiles said. 

Derek sighed. “Yeah, I guess.”

Stiles had to wonder why Derek would even want to get back to his universe what with the little he had there. 

“What happened that day, anyway? Do you remember anything?” Stiles asked. They hadn’t talked about it yet, since it had already been overwhelming with the whole alternate universe thing being revealed. 

“It’s kind of fuzzy,” Derek said. “I remember… I was looking for someone.”

“Helpful,” Stiles couldn’t help but interject. 

Derek glared at him. “It was storming.”

“Hmm, it was storming here too.” Stiles didn’t know if it had anything to do with what happened, but he figured there had to be some reason it occurred. He got up and rummaged through a nearby drawer until he came back to the table with a notebook and a pen. 

“What are you doing?” Derek asked. 

“I’m going to write down anything you can remember and the similarities or differences with what was happening here. Maybe it’ll be helpful.” Stiles shrugged.

Derek didn’t seem convinced, but it didn’t matter. Taking notes wouldn’t hurt either way. 

They talked for a little while longer, but Derek didn’t remember much about the night before. 

After they cleaned up their breakfast, Stiles decided they should go see Beacon Hills. He wanted to show Derek his version, and if anything happens to jog his memory that would be a bonus. 

“I mean, I shouldn’t actually take you out in public because it could get a bit crazy if anyone recognizes you,” Stiles said. 

Stiles drove Derek around, pointing out the high school he’d gone to and the stores he and his Derek frequented. For lunch they drove out of town, where Stiles was pretty sure they wouldn’t run into anyone who knew Derek. They went to a small café and Stiles sipped his latte happily, while the Derek across from him looked… uncomfortable really. 

“Is something wrong?” Stiles asked. 

“No,” Derek said quickly. He looked up at Stiles and Stiles gave him a small smile, trying to show him it was okay whether or not he wanted to talk about what was bothering him. Because it was definitely something… other than being trapped in an alternate universe.

Derek sighed. “It’s just weird. Everything is the same, but everything… feels different. It feels warmer and brighter, I feel like I’m not really here.”

Stiles furrowed his brows. “Hmm,” he said. “I think you mean… it’s happier here.” 

Derek looked a bit taken aback for a few seconds. He recovered quickly, but not quick enough to avoid the twinge in Stiles’ heart at this Derek not even realizing what happiness looked like. “Uh, I guess it could be something like that. No supernatural monsters running around probably helps a lot.” Derek smiled at Stiles. The first real smile from this Derek and Stiles had to duck his head. He liked Derek looking at him like that, and it made him feel terribly guilty for some reason. It wasn’t like he was cheating on his Derek. He hadn’t done anything… but this smile seemed so personal and secretive and just for Stiles, and this wasn’t _his_ Derek. 

When Stiles looked back up, Derek was looking down at his coffee grumpily. Stiles was sure the heavy awkward feeling that came down around him was all in his head, but he couldn’t help but want to fill the void. He was just about to start word vomiting when he jumped from a voice ringing out behind him. 

“Stiles!?”

Shit… Of course, Stiles should have known, coming way out of town to a hidden coffee shop, the one person he might run into would be Lydia. 

“Uh, hi Lydia,” Stiles said as he turned. Already his brain was in overdrive trying to come up with some excuse as to what he was doing here, wondering what she would say about Derek. Of course her eyes glazed right over Stiles and landed on Derek. 

“What the hell happened to you Derek? You look like you’ve been living in a forest for a week,” Lydia said. 

Stiles cringed. According Derek, he had been running through a forest, and apparently frequented them. 

“And why aren’t you in New York?” Lydia added. Damn him for having such a small circle of nosy friends. 

Stiles looked at Derek, who was just sort of staring back at Lydia, then at Stiles. The wheels were turning but he was as blank as Stiles. In hindsight, they really should have come up with a contingency plan for this.

“He’s… it was cancelled. He was camping? We decided the beard might be a good look to try,” Stiles tried. 

“It’s not. You look homeless.” Lydia looked far from convinced. “Allison told me that Scott was with you all night when Derek got on his flight to New York.”

Those damn friends again. Stiles should really try to stay more mysterious.   
“He came back? He…”

“Enough Stiles,” Derek finally said. “Just tell her the truth.”

Lydia’s glare turned into a look of curiosity at that. 

“What?” Stiles asked. He didn’t want Lydia to think he was crazy, which is exactly what would happen if they told her the truth. “That you’re… Derek’s estranged twin brother Miguel?” Stiles said in a pure eureka moment. 

Derek rolled his eyes with a heavy sigh. 

“I’m from an alternate universe where supernatural creatures and powers exist. Somehow I got transferred into this one last night during the storm.” Derek pursed his lips while Stiles gaped at him. 

Meanwhile, Lydia was studying them both silently. “Well, honestly that sounds like the most reasonable explanation for Derek’s current fashion and facial hair choices,” she shrugged. 

“What?” Stiles asked a bit too loudly. “You believe him?”

“Are you telling me he was lying?” Lydia asked, shrugging. 

“No… No it’s what happened. I just thought… you would think I was crazy or something.”

“Well,” Lydia considered. “I probably would have if you were the one to say it.”

Derek smirked. “I think I like this Lydia better.”

“I don’t know whether to be flattered or offended for my counterpart,” she half pouted. She grabbed a chair from a nearby table and sat down at their small bistro table. 

“So do I have any powers in your world?” Lydia asked with excitement. 

“You’re a banshee,” Derek replied nonchalantly. Lydia and Stiles had matching expressions of annoyance. As if they were going to know what the hell that was exactly. “You can scream really loud basically,” Derek explained. 

Lydia pouted again. “Oh. Well that’s kind of stupid.”

“I’m sure he’s downplaying it,” Stiles said, placating. “So anyway, he can’t really remember what he was doing that night. I thought that might help to try and figure out how to get him back there.“

“Not a bad idea,” Lydia nodded. “Have you thought about just going back to where he appeared in our world?”

Derek and Stiles both stared at each other and then at Lydia. 

“So that would be a no,” she sighed. 

Stiles rolled his eyes at her condescending tone. “It’s been a little overwhelming.”

“Yeah having two versions of your hot boyfriend must be really hard,” Lydia responded. The innuendo was hard to miss, especially accompanied by Lydia’s sly smile. It made Stiles cheeks burn red and when he looked at Derek, he was staring down at his coffee again. Stiles thought he could actually see a blush on Derek’s cheeks as well and damn if that didn’t make Stiles blush even harder. 

His mind couldn’t help but think about having two Derek’s to kiss and lick and touch… and oh god he should not be thinking about that right now. The image was almost too much. How the hell had he not thought about that yet? Instead he had been feeling guilty about liking this Derek at all. He didn’t know if his Derek would approve at all, but a heat grew in his belly at the idea.

“Earth to Stiles,” Lydia said bringing him back. A Cheshire grin across her face. 

“Yeah, yeah,” Stiles said, trying to cool off. “Are you going to help or not?”

Lydia followed them in her car back to Beacon Hills, and to the grocery store parking lot. It was a silent and slightly awkward drive back with Derek. He was feeling excited and guilty and it was making Stiles sick. He almost didn’t want to send Derek back because of the little fantasy he’d had, but he knew that was a selfish thought and would never happen.

They parked at the edge of the parking lot close to the forest where Stiles had found Derek. Stiles pointed out where he had seen Derek stumble out from and the three of them went into the forest. Stiles didn’t do much wandering through the forests of Beacon Hills. It was eerie the way the daylight was so cut out. Some seeped through the branches and leaves overhead, but it was mostly dark, cool, and damp. The forest felt like a whole different world, and Stiles felt a chill run down his spine. He looked over at Derek, who was staring at him intensely. He didn’t even look away when Stiles looked over. The look gave him goosebumps and they both averted their attention after a few seconds. 

After a few minutes of walking, Derek stopped and pointed. 

“That’s where I woke up. I must have been out for a while since it was the middle of the night when I was out here in my world,” Derek said. 

“Assuming that time is the same between the two worlds,” Stiles added.

Lydia didn’t seem to be paying much attention to them. She had her hand on her chin, looking around the area inquisitively. 

“Does it feel different to you?” She asked finally. 

Stiles and Derek both looked at each other, unsure who she was asking. 

“Sort of,” Stiles said, shrugging. “I got a weird chill, and like, it feels weird in here but I thought it was just the heebee jeebees or something.”

Derek closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. Stiles watched his chest rise under the tight black t-shirt he was wearing. “It does feel more powerful here,” Derek said, opening his eyes again. “Maybe this is some sort of hot spot for magical activity or something?” He asked, unsure if Lydia or Stiles would be thinking along the same lines. 

“That’s what I was thinking,” answered Lydia. “Like maybe it’s the one spot in all the worlds that is connected.”

Stiles felt lost. Why was he suddenly the only one who seemed out of the loop? He shut his eyes like Derek had and tried to feel something. There was something though, like a tingling under his skin. His eyes flew open as he began to feel really creeped out. 

“What is that?” Stiles asked as his eyes focused on something in the distance. “Is that a house?”

“In the middle of the forest?” Derek asked. He didn’t seem very surprised though, he sounded hesitant. 

“You okay?” Stiles asked him.

“It’s like a weird déjà vu thing. I think I’m remembering something, but I just can’t piece it together yet.” He sounded frustrated.

“Let’s go,” Lydia said. Stiles look at her with surprise. She shrugged in response. Damn, he remembered why he used to have a crush on her. 

They had to walk for another ten minutes, but eventually the little cabin became more clear. 

When they finally approached it, they all paused. They didn’t have any idea what they would find. Why didn’t anyone in town know about some cabin in the forest? The whole thing was just plain freaky. 

They all looked at each and nodded, somehow silently agreeing to let Derek go first. Lydia and Stiles followed closely behind as Derek walked up to the front door and knocked. There was nothing for a while and Stiles was getting a sick, nervous feeling. Then the door opened a crack, just enough for Stiles to see an older woman’s face with black unkempt hair. 

Derek gasped and took a step back, right into Lydia and Stiles. 

“Who are you?” Derek asked. He held his hand to his head, looking like he had a migraine. 

“I think you know,” the very creepy lady said. 

“You. You did this,” Derek said. His hand was still holding his head but it looked like he was doing better. 

“There was something you needed to see. To learn.” The lady poked her head out a little more and looked up at the sky, concern crossing her face. Stiles followed her gaze to see dark clouds rolling in, and he heard a far away rumble. 

“You shouldn’t be here,” she said. “Leave!” With that, the woman slammed the door in their faces. 

Derek gasped in pain and clutched his head with both hands. 

“Derek! Are you okay?” Stiles asked, panicked. 

“Yeah, I’ll be okay. Let’s just… please, let’s leave,” Derek said. 

Luckily, they made it back without any rain. The dark clouds hung in the sky, threatening, but no storm came. 

When they finally got back to their cars, Lydia said she had to get home. Stiles thought they should make plans to discuss what the hell just happened, but everyone was a bit too shaken up. He let her go and thanked her, and Stiles took Derek back home. 

“How’s your head?” Stiles asked. They were back on Stiles’ couch and Derek had taken some Tylenol.

“Better. Thanks,” Derek replied. 

“What happened?” Stiles had been wondering, but wanted Derek to be feeling better before bringing it up. 

“I don’t know. It was like… a flashback or something. Right when I saw her. I think she was who I was looking for that day.” He still seemed confused, but Stiles understood that. This whole situation confused him, so he tried not to think too hard about it. 

“Huh. She kinda reminded me of a witch,” Stiles said. 

Derek looked at him. “I’m pretty sure she is,” Derek said. “How else could she have done this? It has to be some sort of magic or something. I don’t know why I would’ve been looking for her though,” Derek finished. 

Stiles was still stuck on the ‘yeah, probably a witch’ thing, but he tried to move passed it. 

“Okay, well it’s a start at least,” Stiles said. “Tomorrow we can talk to Lydia again and see what else we can figure out.”

“Stiles. What are you doing?” Derek asked. 

Stiles was confused until he realized his own hand rubbing circles on Derek’s back. Once again, he forgot this was a very different Derek than his own and took his hand away quickly. 

“Sorry. Sort of used to being allowed… the touching,” Stiles said, cheeks burning. 

“Right,” Derek said softly. 

And when had they gotten so close? Stiles’ leg suddenly felt like fire where it was pressed against Derek’s. He looked down at their legs and back up to Derek, who was now looking right at him. There was that look in Derek’s eyes again. Something Stiles didn’t recognize but now it seemed like… hunger. Derek seemed like he actually wanted Stiles and it made Stiles’ heart race. He was so torn about what lines this crossed. It was still technically his boyfriend, just from a different reality. That didn’t mean anything weird, right? It meant he was in love with his boyfriend! Who could fault him for that?

Stiles got up and spun around a bit spastically.

“So! You’re probably tired. It’s been a long day. I’ll get you some blankets and a pillow.” He gave an awkward thumbs up and left to get everything for Derek. 

Derek was left staring blankly at the empty space where Stiles used to be. 

Stiles came back to give Derek a pillow, a sheet, and a blanket to make the couch a bit more comfortable and then left again quickly. Stiles couldn’t be trusted around Derek. The feeling in his gut told him it would be wrong for anything to happen, but everything else wanted him to go for it. He just had to survive a little longer, then they could come up with a solution and send Derek back and that would be it. 

The next morning, Stiles woke up before Derek. He watched Derek sleep, looking peaceful for once since Stiles had met this Derek. 

He made coffee and was beginning on breakfast when Derek wandered into the kitchen quietly.

“Hey,” Derek said, startling Stiles. And it just wasn’t fair that he had the exact same growly morning voice as his Derek. 

“Hey. Hi, breakfast is almost ready.”

“Cool,” Derek replied and sat the small kitchen table, rubbing his eyes. 

“I should text Lydia and see if she can meet up today,” Stiles said. He looked around for his phone, but couldn’t find it. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen it. He went upstairs and found it in his pants pocket. 

“Damn it,” he said to himself. The phone was dead, so he plugged it in and went back downstairs. 

After they’d finished breakfast and cleaned up, Stiles went back upstairs. He had some missed calls from Derek and his stomach dropped immediately. He had forgotten to talk to Derek at all yesterday. He was a terrible boyfriend. There were a few messages so he started to listen. 

Shit. Derek was coming home a day early. Derek was coming home today. And Stiles had no idea what time. He grabbed some spare clothes for Derek and raced downstairs. 

“Here’s some clothes you can wear,” Stiles said. “We should hurry and get over to Lydia’s.” Maybe he could find out what time Derek would be home and leave this Derek with Lydia for a while. He still hadn’t figured out how to tell his Derek that, you know, alternate universes exist and another one of him travelled to their world. God, it sounded so ridiculous even just thinking it. There’s no way Derek would believe him. 

Derek went to the bathroom with the clothes Stiles had handed him and Stiles sat at the table, holding a mug of coffee he was too nervous to be able to drink. 

Then Stiles heard a car and he froze. Doors opening and shutting. Footsteps on the porch stairs. And his Derek walked into the house. Stiles stood up and ran over to Derek to embrace him. The nervousness washed away from him as his heart swelled, realizing how much he really had missed his Derek. The one who smiled at him and kissed him and who had been damaged once, but was already fixed. 

“I was worried about you,” Derek said. “Why weren’t you answering your phone?”

“Sorry. I’m so sorry. My phone was dead,” Stiles explained. “It was a bit of a crazy day yesterday.”

Derek looked at him like that wasn’t a good explanation. But Stiles went on his tiptoes and placed a soft kiss on Derek’s lips and Derek leaned forward into it and cradled Stiles’ head with his hand. 

“I missed you,” Stiles said quietly.

“I missed you too,” Derek replied. He kissed Stiles’ forehead and held him for another moment, before Stiles had to push away a little. 

“I need to tell you something,” he said and watched as Derek’s face grew concerned. “It’s gonna sound crazy but I need you to believe me.”

Derek’s eyebrow was raised. He said nothing so Stiles went on. 

“Oh god, how do I explain this? Look, I was at the grocery store and saw someone coming out of the woods. And I obviously though, you know, like random guy on a bender or something. But as I got closer, it was you. Derek, it was you, and I got so mad at first, I thought you had a secret life or something. But it wasn’t you. I mean it was but it was a different you. Shit, I’m not making much sense,” Stiles said, scratching the back of his head. 

Derek looked like he didn’t know what to say or feel right now. His face kept changing from humour to confusion and he kept opening his mouth like he was going to say something, but couldn’t figure out what. 

“You are shit at explaining this,” a voice came from around the corner. It was the other Derek, and damn if this wouldn’t help his story a little. He stepped out so Stiles and his Derek could see him. 

Stiles watched his Derek’s face turn to absolute shock.

“So, there are alternate universes apparently,” other Derek began. “And in mine, there is magic and supernatural beings. I’m a werewolf and so is Scott. I went looking for a witch the night you left to New York, and she somehow sent me to this universe. I ran into Stiles a few hours later.”  
His Derek looks at Stiles, like he’s expecting this to be some practical joke. Stiles just shrugs. “Yeah, that’s the gist of it. Look, we’re trying to get him back there. We even found the witch. Lydia helped.”

“Lydia knows about this?” His Derek asked. 

“Yeah, she saw us at a café and she just knew,” Stiles said. 

“Café?” Derek asked. Then he shook his head like he didn’t know which part of all this to focus on. 

“I need... to go,” his Derek said. 

“No please. We’ll figure this out I swear,” Stiles tried.

“I know. I just need a minute. I believe you Stiles,” his Derek said and placed a kiss on Stiles’ forehead. “I just… need a minute.” And then he left.

Stiles sat on the couch, elbows on his knees, and head in his hands. 

Other Derek came over and sat down beside him. “He’ll be okay.”

“How do you know?” Stiles asked.

“Because I was,” Derek replied. 

It really should make sense to Stiles, but it wasn’t making him feel any better. 

Again, Stiles became aware of how close they were sitting. And he felt even more guilty now than before.

He was going to get up, he was, but Derek was leaning in and there was rough facial hair brushing against Stiles’ skin and lips pressing against his. And he forgot that this might be wrong in any way at all because it was Derek and it felt so good. And they still fit, it didn’t matter where he came from. Their lips moved together and Stiles’ hand rested on Derek’s chest. 

But deep down, Stiles knew this wasn’t right. Derek was gripping Stiles’s leg, and Stiles could tell even now he was holding back. Stiles suddenly pushed him back.

“I can’t. This,” Stiles said, waving his hands in a vaguely ‘you and me’ gesture. “This is wrong. It feels… wrong. I know you’re still Derek. But you’re not my Derek.”

Derek looked away. “I know. Sorry, I don’t know why I did that.” He pressed his palms into his eyes. “Just seeing you two together. You’re so happy together. So good together. I don’t… I never thought…”  
“Yeah, you did. You just deny yourself the things you want,” Stiles said, remembering how Derek was when they first met. “And I’m 100% sure your Stiles has thought about this,” Stiles said. He couldn’t imagine a world where Derek wasn’t something he wanted so badly it hurt. 

Derek looked back at Stiles. There was a pain in his eyes, like he was still trying to reconcile these feelings. Stiles couldn’t imagine what it would be like to fight against yourself so much, tell yourself you don’t want something just because it might make you happy. 

“I’m going to make some tea. Why don’t you put Netflix on?” Stiles offered. They could both use some distraction right now. 

When his Derek came back, Stiles and other Derek were on opposite ends of the couch, quietly watching Doctor Who. 

“This is too weird,” his Derek said. 

“I know. I know,” Stiles said, getting up. He approached his Derek like a deer who might run away if he moved to quick. 

“I went and talked to Lydia,” his Derek said. “I just had to make sure I wasn’t going crazy or something.”

Stiles just nodded. It made sense. 

“Can I talk to you for a minute Stiles?” his Derek asked. 

“Yeah, of course,” Stiles replied. “Let’s go upstairs.”

Stiles led them into the bedroom and shut the door. Derek looked uncomfortable. “I just need to know. Did you and him…?” he asked, vaguely motioning to the bed.

“No! Derek, no. He’s not you,” Stiles said seriously, grabbing Derek’s hand with his own. Stiles stomach turned. It wasn’t like he hadn’t thought about it, but seeing Derek jealous like this made him even more sure how wrong it would have been. “Besides, he doesn’t even think he likes the Stiles from his own universe.”

Derek laughed. “He does. He always will,” and then he smiled softly to Stiles. “No matter how much he lies to himself or tries to fight it.”

“I sort of said the same thing about his Stiles. I’m sure there isn’t a universe that exists without me loving you,” Stiles said. He knew it was cheesy as all hell, but it felt good. Alternate universes made his head hurt, but the idea that they could be together in infinite circumstances comforted him. 

“You know… we could show him how much he would really enjoy being with Stiles,” Derek said slyly. 

Stiles’ mouth dropped open. Was Derek really suggesting what he thought he was suggesting? Stiles’ cheeks burned red, but he also felt a deep want. 

“I know you’ve always wanted a threesome,” said Derek. “This way I can’t really be all that jealous. Since it is with… me, after all. I mean I would have been jealous if you did anything without me. But since I’m here now…”

And oh my god, Stiles was already getting hard thinking about it. “Don’t. Oh my god, if you’re fucking with me right now, I will kill you,” Stiles said accusingly. 

“I’m not,” Derek whispered in his ear. He started kissing his neck, biting his ear, licking Stiles’ throat, driving Stiles insane. 

“You’re… You’re assuming that,” Stiles tried, breathing heavily. “That he’ll even want to.”

“He will. Trust me,” Derek said. His hot breath on Stiles’ neck made Stiles shiver. 

Derek grabbed Stiles by the hand and brought him back downstairs. When the got to the bottom, the other Derek looked up, like he wasn’t sure if he should still be here or not. Stiles suddenly felt like this was a stupid idea. There’s no way this Derek would want him, he was feeling self-conscious all over again. 

His Derek leaned into Stiles’ ear and whispered, “Now go kiss him.”

Stiles looked at him with a bit of shock, but his Derek just nudged him, so Stiles went over to the other, scruffy, grumpier Derek. This Derek was looking decidedly confused now, as Stiles went over and then straddled his lap.

“What the…? Stiles…” Other Derek tried. 

Stiles shushed him by putting his hands on Derek’s shoulders and kissing him hard. 

This Derek held back for only a moment, probably out of confusion, before he was hungrily kissing back. 

His Derek came over to the couch and put a hand under Stiles’ chin, directing Stiles’ face toward himself now. They kissed while Stiles was still straddling Other Derek’s lap, who was growing hard beneath Stiles. Stiles began to grind down into Other Derek as he kissed his own Derek, and fuck, it felt so good. This was better than anything he could have fantasized. 

His Derek started unbuttoning Stiles’ pants until his dick was out and pressing against Other Derek’s stomach.

Derek reached out and grabbed Other Derek’s hand and wrapped it around Stiles’ hard cock and Other Derek didn’t need any more help to start stroking it slowly and Stiles hissed and his Derek began kissing him again. 

Other Derek arched his hips to pull down his own pants, taking out his own cock and stroking it along with Stiles’. 

Derek took a breath from Stiles’ glistening, bitten red mouth to take off his and Stiles’ shirts. 

He then got Stiles to turn around, now straddling Other Derek’s lap in the opposite direction. Stiles now grabbed his and Other Derek’s cocks between his hand and rubbed them, slicking each other up with pre-cum. 

Derek knelt down and licked and bit a path down Stiles’ chest to his nipples, playing with them and making Stiles moan. He stood up again and Stiles grabbed onto his Derek’s hips in front of him. Licking his lips, he leaned forward and licked the tip of Derek’s cock, then pressed kisses down the length before taking the whole thing in his mouth. Derek gasped. 

Other Derek reached around to continue stroking his and Stiles’ dicks. His other hand gripped Stiles’ waist just a little too hard. His teeth made marks down Stiles’ back and around his neck. 

“Derek please,” Stiles had taken a moment to gasp out. It didn’t matter who he was talking to. He bucked his hips and grinded his ass into Other Derek’s cock. 

Derek grinned and reached behind Stiles as Stiles leaned forward. He pressed a finger into Stiles and Stiles moaned. Other Derek watched intensely. Derek had two fingers inside of Stiles and then nodded at Other Derek to take over. He was hesitant at first, but he gasped as his fingers entered Stiles. Once they had a rhythm going, Derek directed Stiles mouth back to his own dick. He curled his fingers into Stiles’ hair and Stiles hummed, the sound vibrating around Derek’s cock. 

Other Derek couldn’t handle it anymore. He pressed the tip into Stiles’ ass and it was so fucking tight but Stiles just gasped and relaxed his body. He took his mouth off of Derek’s cock to assure him it was ok. Then Other Derek pressed in and cursed under his breath. 

As Stiles gasped and moaned, Derek used the hand still curled in Stiles’ hair to push his mouth back onto his dick and fucked his mouth hard as Other Derek slowly fucked him from behind. 

Stiles thought he could die, he’d never felt so fucking good in his life and he grabbed his own dick. Stroking it quick, with hard tugs. He wasn’t going to last much longer. 

Other Derek was shuddering underneath him. Stiles could feel the warm and wet cum pooling in his ass and leaking out as Other Derek took his dick out. Then he moved Stiles’ own hand away and began stroking for him. 

“Fuck,” Derek said as he took his dick out of Stiles’ mouth. He turned Stiles around but kept him on his knees so he’d have the right leverage. Stiles was half straddling Other Derek, their heads resting beside each other on the couch. Derek pressed his dick into Stiles’ ass, which was still slippery with cum and only managed a couple of thrusts before Stiles was cumming on Other Derek. Then his Derek pulled out and shoved back in, making Stiles inhale sharply. That was all his Derek needed to push him over the edge before he was cumming too. Staying inside Stiles until he was emptied. He slipped out of Stiles and couldn’t help but finger the outside of the whole dripping with cum. 

“One sec,” Derek said. His legs were shaky but he went to get towels anyway. 

He came back and cleaned up Stiles and himself and threw a clean towel to Other Derek. 

“I’m gonna shower,” Derek said. He smirked at Other Derek. “See what you’re missing?”

Stiles was too exhausted to even be embarrassed. He and Other Derek laid on opposite ends of the couch, slightly entangled. 

“I think,” Other Derek began. “Shit, I think I love you. Or… him. My Stiles.”

Stiles was trying to think of a snarky comeback but only said, “You think?”

Suddenly Derek was doubled over, clutching his head. 

“Derek! Are you okay?”

“I… I need to go! Get me to that forest!”

“Oh… okay,” Stiles said, not sure what he needed to do first. His brain wasn’t exactly known for being quick right after being so thoroughly fucked. 

He ran to find some clothes, and he and Other Derek got dressed. He ran into the bathroom where his Derek was showering and yelled that he would be back. 

“What’s going on?” Stiles asked once they were in the car and on their way. 

“My head. Like at the witch’s place,” Derek said. He seemed to be in quite a bit of pain. “I just… I have this feeling I need to back. To the forest.”

“Okay, we’ll be there soon,” Stiles said. He sped up and hoped there weren’t any cops on the roads today. He could get out of most things because of his father, but he didn’t want to have to even try to explain today. 

They got to the grocery store without incident, Stiles getting as close to the forest as possible. Derek stumbled out and started running before Stiles had even put the jeep in park. 

“Derek!” he yelled. He turned off the car and ran after him. 

This wasn’t fair at all considering how much more fit Derek was. Luckily, it was still light out, so even with the forest blocking out most of the light, he could still see Derek ahead of him. 

When Stiles finally caught up, Derek was kneeling on the ground in that same spot where they stood yesterday. 

He didn’t look to be in pain anymore. Derek slowly stood and looked up toward the sky. 

“Derek?” Stiles wasn’t even sure Derek could here him, they guy looked so spaced out. 

Then Stiles looked up and those black storm clouds were rolling in overhead, same as before. 

Thunder started to rumble first soft and far away, then getting closer every minute. 

“Say hi to Stiles for me,” Stiles said, smiling. This was it. He could feel it. His skin was tingling and he could feel the magic in the air. For a moment he was jealous, he sort of wished he could see that universe, but then he remembered a lot of what Derek had told him and he wouldn’t really wish that on anyone. 

There was lightning so bright Stiles shielded his eyes with his arm. When he looked up, Derek was gone and rain started to pour. He ran back to his jeep, but he was already soaking wet. He took a deep breath and sighed. He couldn’t wait to tell Lydia about this. 

~*~  
Derek’s eyes were screwed shut. He expected some kind of blast, a noise or some wind even. But there was nothing. He opened his eyes expecting to see Stiles still standing there, looking confused. But when he opened his eyes there was no one. He was standing in the same forest, but completely alone. It was pouring rain now, but the thunder was gone. He could feel the magic of this universe coursing through his veins and he knew if he tried he could turn into a wolf. For a moment he felt sad and lost. He liked the happiness of that other world and wished he could’ve stayed. Except there was one thing he was forgetting. 

Derek didn’t wait, he couldn’t wait. He knew if he waited, he could talk himself out of it. So instead of taking some time for himself to recover from travelling through parallel fucking universes, he went to Stiles’ house. He hoped the Sheriff wasn’t home, and breathed a sigh of relief that his car was missing. He still would’ve done this but it definitely would have been more awkward. 

He banged on the door until Stiles finally answered, going off about neighbours and what if he had been sleeping and who knows what else. 

Derek stared at him, freezing in the moment now that it was here. To Stiles it might have looked like he was considering all the things he was saying, but Derek could hardly hear anything over the blood rushing past his ears. He took a deep breath, grabbed Stiles’ face, and kissed him hard. 

Derek was impressed at how quickly that shut Stiles up.


End file.
